With the 2017 Michael Hill International Violin Competition currently underway in Auckland, New Zealand, VC recently caught up with Executive Director Ms Anna Rodda – to discuss the competition’s new compulsory Quartet Final ‘ad libitum’ component.

In a VC exclusive blog, Anne discusses the new initiative – designed to garner a better understanding of the live candidates’ wider musical personality and communication skills.

“Kiwis have always been pioneers – for example, we were the first to give women the vote back in 1893 and we have what is widely known as a “Number 8 wire” mentality, which has origins in New Zealand’s resourcefulness in farming (Number 8 is a fencing wire). The Michael Hill International Violin Competition is proud to be embracing that pioneering spirit by adding the unique Ad Libitum section in the 2017 Competition.

The Michael Hill International Violin Competition is the first string competition to include an Ad Libitum section, an innovation that came about when we re-evaluted the whole Competition in late 2015. We looked at what’s required of a performer in this day and age, and then asked ourselves how we could find out if an instrumentalist had those particular attributes. We realised the Competition was missing an opportunity for instrumentalists to convey their wider musical personality and communication skills, and the Ad Libitum section was developed by our Artistic Advisor Dene Olding to fill that gap.

Ad Libitum means ‘according to pleasure’ and this section gives competitors the opportunity to demonstrate to the judges and audiences a work that particularly resonates with them, demonstrates a particular talent or enthusiasm, or something in which they truly excel, in short, something that gives pleasure to the performer and the audience. Competitors are also required to introduce their choice from the stage, giving the jury insight into their communication skills and personality as a musician.

“By giving competitors a free choice of repertoire in the Ad Libitum section, the competitors canexhibit a facet of their musicianship that might not normally show itself in standard competition repertoire,” says Olding. “As they introduce and justify their selection to the audience, we gain some insight into their thinking and musical thought processes, while the spoken introductions add another dimension to the musical presentations and humanise the occasion.”

“We live in a world that is saturated with fine players all trying to forge meaningful careers,” Olding says. “In the competitive and technologically complex market in which our winners will find themselves, it has become evident that the artist must recognise and embrace the need to be a skilled performer and communicator as well as a fine musician.” A Michael Hill winner will be an individual who:

Displays the highest level of artistry and prowess

Possesses intelligence, charisma and a personality suited to the demands of the professional musical world

Exhibits unique personal and musical qualities which will allow their talent to shine through in a crowded market

Is versatile and adaptable to a wide range of musical situations and styles

Possesses the ability, stamina, and perseverance to sustain a long and meaningful career

We’ve had nothing but positive feedback from audiences while Pamela Frank, one of our international Jurors and the Chair of the Yehudi Mehuhin International Competition says, “The Ad Libitum added another dimension to the Competition, giving insight into the competitors as human beings. Now I can’t imagine a competition without it.”

The response from our 2017 competitors has been marvellous, with many bold and inventive choices. It’s particularly gratifying to see competitors using the opportunity to act as ambassadors by presenting contemporary works from their home countries, a hugely important role for international artists. All the Ad Libitum performances are available on demand at www.violincompetition.com, a wonderful celebration of our 2017 quarter-finalists’ musicianship.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 18 | We’re here this evening at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts in New York City for a live taping of actor Alec Baldwin’s celebrated ‘Here’s the Thing’ podcast - with superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman | Presented by WNYC and WQXR, tonight’s program includes an intimate conversation between the famed actor and violin virtuoso - plus a special performance by students from The Perlman Music Program

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 18 | We’re here this evening at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts in New York City for a live taping of actor Alec Baldwin’s celebrated ‘Here’s the Thing’ podcast - with superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman | Presented by WNYC and WQXR, tonight’s program includes an intimate conversation between the famed actor and violin virtuoso - plus a special performance by students from The Perlman Music Program

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 18 | We’re here this evening at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts in New York City for a live taping of actor Alec Baldwin’s celebrated ‘Here’s the Thing’ podcast - with superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman | Presented by WNYC and WQXR, tonight’s program includes an intimate conversation between the famed actor and violin virtuoso - plus a special performance by students from The Perlman Music Program

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 17 | We’re coming to you from the Curtis Institute of Music, in Philadelphia, this afternoon for a masterclass with Orion String Quartet cellist Timothy Eddy | Presented by the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Timothy today working through the details of Elgar’s Cello Concerto with Curtis Institute student, Oliver Herbert - Cellist

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 15 | We’re coming to you from the Manhattan School of Music, in New York City this afternoon for a masterclass with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Concertmaster, Vesko Eschkenazy | Working through the details today of the 1st movement of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major - with Manhattan School student, violinist Ahra Cho

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 15 | We’re coming to you from the Manhattan School of Music, in New York City this afternoon for a masterclass with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Concertmaster, Vesko Eschkenazy | Working through the details today of the 1st movement of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major - with Manhattan School student, violinist Ahra Cho

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15 | We’re coming to you from the Colburn School in Los Angeles this afternoon for a special performance and student Q&A session with the VC Artist Dover Quartet

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15 | We’re coming to you from the Colburn School in Los Angeles this afternoon for a special performance and student Q&A session with the VC Artist Dover Quartet

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 15 | We’re at Wigmore Hall in London this evening for a very special Razumovsky Academy Young Artists Recital | Founded by cellist Oleg Kogan, the Razumovsky Academy provides an environment in which gifted young musicians are given the opportunity to collaborate closely with some of the world’s finest artists and teachers | Tonight’s program featuring student violinists SongHa Choi, Coco Tomita and Claire Wells - with acclaimed Russian pianist Olga Sitkovetsky

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 15 | We’re at Wigmore Hall in London this evening for a very special Razumovsky Academy Young Artists Recital | Founded by cellist Oleg Kogan, the Razumovsky Academy provides an environment in which gifted young musicians are given the opportunity to collaborate closely with some of the world’s finest artists and teachers | Tonight’s program featuring student violinists SongHa Choi, Coco Tomita and Claire Wells - with acclaimed Russian pianist Olga Sitkovetsky

HELSINK, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 13 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring a masterclass with Stockholm University School of Music Professor, Ola Karlsson on the great orchestral cello solos

HELSINK, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 13 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring a masterclass with Stockholm University School of Music Professor, Ola Karlsson on the great orchestral cello solos

BLONAY, SWITZERLAND - FEBRUARY 13 | We’re coming from the ‘Triple Viola Masterclasses’ at the Hindemith-Institut in Blonay, Switzerland this week | High in the Swiss alps and overlooking lake Geneva, this week’s intensive solo viola repertoire sessions led by viola Professors Nobuko Imai, Peijun Xu and Veit Benedikt Hertenstein

BLONAY, SWITZERLAND - FEBRUARY 13 | We’re coming from the ‘Triple Viola Masterclasses’ at the Hindemith-Institut in Blonay, Switzerland this week | High in the Swiss alps and overlooking lake Geneva, this week’s intensive solo viola repertoire sessions led by viola Professors Nobuko Imai, Peijun Xu and Veit Benedikt Hertenstein

HELSINKI, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 11 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring a student masterclass with acclaimed French cello baroque specialist Bruno Cocset

HELSINKI, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 11 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Cellists Jian Wang, VC Young Artist Jonathan Roozeman - Cellist and Alexander Warenberg and pianist Mikael Kemppainen hard at work on the details of David Popper’s ‘Requiem’ for 3 Cellos and Piano

HELSINKI, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 11 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring 17-year-old American cellist Sujari Britt performing Bach’s 1st Solo Cello Suite

HELSINKI, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 11 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring a matinée performance of Bach’s 3rd Cello Suite by VC Young Artist Aurélien Pascal

HELSINKI, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 11 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring a student masterclass with acclaimed French cello baroque specialist Bruno Cocset

HELSINKI, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 11 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring a matinée performance of Bach’s 4th Cello Suite by 18-year-old Italian cellist Luca Giovannini

HELSINKI, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 11 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring a matinée performance of Bach’s 3rd Cello Suite by VC Young Artist Aurélien Pascal

HELSINKI, FINLAND - FEBRUARY 11 | We’re coming to you from the 1st International CelloFest in Helsinki, Finland this week | Founded by cellists Martti Rousi and Laura Martin in collaboration with The Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, University of the Arts Helsinki, today’s programme featuring a matinée performance of Bach’s 4th Cello Suite by 18-year-old Italian cellist Luca Giovannini

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10 | We’re coming to you from the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles today for the 2019 61st Annual Classical Music Grammy Awards Ceremony | The 2019 Grammy for the ‘Best Orchestral Performance’ awarded to conductor Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra Orchestra for their recording of ‘Shostakovich Symphonies No 4 & 11’ on the Deutsche Grammophon label

VC BACKSTAGE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 18 | We’re here this evening at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts in New York City for a live taping of actor Alec Baldwin’s celebrated ‘Here’s the Thing’ podcast - with superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman | Presented by WNYC and WQXR, tonight’s program includes an intimate conversation between the famed actor and violin virtuoso - plus a special performance by students from The Perlman Music Program

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 18 | We’re here this evening at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts in New York City for a live taping of actor Alec Baldwin’s celebrated ‘Here’s the Thing’ podcast - with superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman | Presented by WNYC and WQXR, tonight’s program includes an intimate conversation between the famed actor and violin virtuoso - plus a special performance by students from The Perlman Music Program

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 16 | We’re coming to you from the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Convention, in San Antonio, this week | The Bam Cases team on-hand this week to assist with all instrument case enquiries

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 16 | We’re coming to you from the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Convention, in San Antonio, this week | Over 29,000 music teachers from all around the world in attendence this week - for best professional development workshops and exhibits of the latest music education products and services

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 16 | We’re coming to you from the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Convention, in San Antonio, this week | Over 29,000 music teachers from all around the world in attendence this week - for best professional development workshops and exhibits of the latest music education products and services

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 16 | We’re coming to you from the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Convention, in San Antonio, this week | Over 29,000 music teachers from all around the world in attendence this week - for best professional development workshops and exhibits of the latest music education products and services

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 16 | We’re coming to you from the Texas Music Educators Association(TMEA) Convention, in San Antonio, this week | The Thomastik-Infeld team on-hand this week to assist with all string enquiries

LONDON, U.K. - FEBRUARY 15 | We’re at Wigmore Hall in London this evening for a very special Razumovsky Academy Young Artists Recital | Founded by cellist Oleg Kogan, the Razumovsky Academy provides an environment in which gifted young musicians are given the opportunity to collaborate closely with some of the world’s finest artists and teachers | Tonight’s program featuring student violinists SongHa Choi, Coco Tomita and Claire Wells - with acclaimed Russian pianist Olga Sitkovetsky

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10 | We’re coming to you from the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles today for the 2019 61st Annual Classical Music Grammy Awards Ceremony | VC Artists Ariana and Ayane from the Aizuri Quartet nervously awaiting the announcements | The VC Artist Aizuri Quartet are today nominated for the ‘Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance’ Grammy for their newly-released album ‘Blueprinting’ | Good luck girls!!

NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 7 | Backstage at David Geffen Hall in New York City with VC Artist Bomsori Kim 김봄소리 and her entire #TeamBomsori management team from Liu Kotow International Management & Promotion and Kirshbaum Associates - following her successful debut performance with the New York Philharmonic this evening | Tonight’s ‘Lunar New Year’ celebration, led by conductor Kahchun Wong, featuring Li Huanzhi’s ‘Spring Festival Overture’, the US Premiere of acclaimed Chinese composer Tan Dun’s Violin Concerto ‘Fire Ritual’ - and Stravinsky’s ‘Fire Bird Suite

NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 7 | Backstage at David Geffen Hall in New York City with VC Artist Bomsori Kim 김봄소리 and her entire #TeamBomsori management team from Liu Kotow International Management & Promotion and Kirshbaum Associates - following her successful debut performance with the New York Philharmonic this evening | Tonight’s ‘Lunar New Year’ celebration, led by conductor Kahchun Wong, featuring Li Huanzhi’s ‘Spring Festival Overture’, the US Premiere of acclaimed Chinese composer Tan Dun’s Violin Concerto ‘Fire Ritual’ - and Stravinsky’s ‘Fire Bird Suite

NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 3 | We’re at Carnegie Hall in New York City this afternoon with superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman, Maestro Yoel Levi and the Israel Philharmonic - התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית | Presented by the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, today’s program featuring Pártos’ ‘Concertino for Strings’, Beethoven’s G Major and F Major ‘Romances’, Kreisler’s ‘Liebesleid’ and John Williams’ ‘Theme from Schindler’s List - plus Tchaikovsky’s majestic 6th Symphony

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 30 | Prodigious performance today at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City by 18-year-old South Korean VC Young Artist Violinist SooBeen Lee with pianist Dina Vainshtein | Presented by the Young Concert Artists, today’s program featuring Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 8 in G Major, Bartok’s ‘Rhapsody’ No. 1 and Saint-Saens Violin Sonata in D Minor (Pictured with Young Concert Artists Founder, Susan Wadsworth)

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 28 | We’re coming to you from Philadelphia’s The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts today for the final dress rehearsal with conductors Zhang Liang and Kensho Watanabe - with combined members of both The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Shanghai Philharmonic | This evening the two conductors will perform side-by-side in a special ‘Chinese New Year’ performance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and China

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 28 | We’re coming to you from Philadelphia’s The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts today for the final dress rehearsal with conductors Zhang Liang and Kensho Watanabe - with combined members of both The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Shanghai Philharmonic | This evening the two conductors will perform side-by-side in a special ‘Chinese New Year’ performance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and China

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 28 | We’re coming to you from Philadelphia’s The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts today for the final dress rehearsal with conductors Zhang Liang and Kensho Watanabe - with combined members of both The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Shanghai Philharmonic | This evening the two conductors will perform side-by-side in a special ‘Chinese New Year’ performance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and China

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 28 | We’re coming to you from Philadelphia’s The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts today for the final dress rehearsal with conductors Zhang Liang and Kensho Watanabe - with combined members of both The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Shanghai Philharmonic | This evening the two conductors will perform side-by-side in a special ‘Chinese New Year’ performance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and China

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 28 | We’re coming to you from Philadelphia’s The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts today for the final dress rehearsal with conductors Zhang Liang and Kensho Watanabe - with combined members of both The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Shanghai Philharmonic | This evening the two conductors will perform side-by-side in a special ‘Chinese New Year’ performance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and China